The Lost and the Found Review & Giveaway ~ Blog Tour

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 13th, 2016
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
Page Count: 368

LOST. 
When six-year-old Laurel Logan was abducted, the only witness was her younger sister. Faith’s childhood was dominated by Laurel’s disappearance – from her parents’ broken marriage and the constant media attention to dealing with so-called friends who only ever wanted to talk about her sister.   FOUND.
Thirteen years later, a young woman is found in the garden of the Logans’ old house, disorientated and clutching the teddy bear Laurel was last seen with. Laurel is home at last, safe and sound. Faith always dreamed of getting her sister back, without ever truly believing it would happen. But a disturbing series of events leaves Faith increasingly isolated and paranoid, and before long she begins to wonder if everything that’s lost can be found again…

This is one of those books that has a funny way of making you feel nervous from the very beginning. Even though the events in the first few chapters seemed to be happy and touching for the better, the main character's unease sets the foreboding tone well. Clarke's writing style is very well done and descriptive which immerses you in the world and makes the effects of all her thrilling twists even bigger on the reader.

Faith was a character I very much enjoyed. Losing her sister has really dominated her whole life and molded her into the character she currently is. She honestly yearns to be normal, so it is ironic how her thoughts and ways of acting portray her like any other teen, and obviously her life gradually unravels. Somehow she makes it through and stays strong. The other characters were just as great and well developed. I was so eager to see how Laurel would cope with normal life and how she and her sister would get along. I couldn't even imagine being in that situation where Faith was meeting her long lost sister many years later. I very much appreciated how genuine all the characters felt.

If there is one thing Cat Clarke knows how to do, it is keeping you as a reader on your toes, and that is the most I will say about the book's plot. I went into the book blind and I believe the read will be just as enjoyable to those who go in blind as well. As I mentioned before, you will feel as if the events are about to take a turn throughout the beginning of the book, and when they do, it is completely gripping. Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who love realistic thrillers that will definitely give them a bit of a ride.

My Rating:

Buy the Book:

 Amazon | B&N

About the Author:

Cat was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people.

Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.

Website | Twitter 

Giveaway:

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Follow the Tour:

9/12: Such A Novel Idea - Review

9/13: The Story Sanctuary - Q&A

9/14: Avid Reader - Review

9/15: Who RU Blog - Novel Secrets

9/16: Novel Ink - Review

Week 2:

9/19: Here's the Happy Endings - Guest Post

9/20: Blue Books and Butterflies - Review

9/21: Take Me Away to a Great Read - Mood Board

9/22: Quest Reviews - Review

9/23: Curling Up With A Good Book - Top 10

Slammed by Colleen Hoover ~ Impeccable Reviews

Series: Slammed #1
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 321

Layken's father died suddenly, leaving her to gather every ounce of strength to be a pillar for her family, in order to prevent their world from falling apart. Now her life is taking another unexpected turn...

Layken's mother gets a job which leads to an unwanted move across the country. However, a new home means new neighbours... and Layken's new neighbour is the very attractive Will Cooper.

Will has an intriguing passion for slam poetry, and a matching passion for life. The two feel an irresistible attraction but are rocked to the core when a shocking revelation brings their romance to a screeching halt. Layken and Will must find a way to fight the forces that threaten to tear them apart...or learn to live without each other.

 I started buying Colleen Hoover's books with the mindset that I was going to love them just by how many other people love her books and my own love for the contemporary romance genre. I haven't read any New Adult books before, but I had heard this book was a great transition into the new adult genre which I really want to read more of. I thought I was ready and set to easily enjoy this book as a quick and fun read, and gosh was I wrong! I didn't just enjoy this book, I freaking loved it! This was not just any contemporary romance novel but has a story that is so meaningful. This book taught me so many life lessons that just left me in awe. To me, it was so good that I honestly have such a hard time understanding the few very low ratings I have seen it given on Goodreads. What even???

In this novel, we have the two love interests Layken and Will and a few important side characters including the little brothers of Layken and Will, Layken's mom, and Layken's friends. At the beginning of the novel Layken had just experienced the death of her father and her family has had to move away from their home in Texas to Michigan. Therefore, she is not in the best place from the beginning of the novel. On her first day in the new house, she meets Will which as you might of guessed blossoms a complicated relationship. I loved the romance because it was just too cute and at some points aggravating (but in a good way)! I know some New Adult books have the tendency to be seen as a bit...raunchy, but honestly, this novel is tamer than some of the Young Adult books I have read.

I believe going into this book mostly blind also allowed me to really enjoy the plot. There are so many twists I did not even slightly see coming and they just came and slapped me in the face. The love interest Will is a very intelligent young man who loves poetry, specifically slammed poetry, so there is a lot of poetry in this novel that just made my heart melt. Colleen Hoover needs to just go ahead and write a whole novel in verse if she has not already. I felt like everything was so well paced. I always felt engaged and ready to see what would happen next. I laughed, cried, sobbed, got angry, was surprised, and so many other emotions! Even her side characters were just as amazing and there is one character in particular named Eddie, whose story brought me to tears.

I think my favorite part about this book is how meaningful it felt. The characters are so authentic in that they are flawed and have been dealt their own set of life struggles. Every single character in this novel was built so well and I felt like I truly knew them by the end of this book. There are so many things that happen to the main characters Will and Layken in this novel that really throw their lives in every direction. I felt their pain because most of their problems were things that are very unfortunate, but can happen to anyone. This novel deeply explores the struggles life throws at us and how we choose to handle them. We can let them knock us off our feet or we can keep fighting and moving forward. This might sound crazy, but after reading this novel I feel enlightened and inspired all at the same time. I don't even believe this explanation is giving this book the justice it needs, but PLEASE JUST READ IT! It will hit you straight in the heart. The epilogue is what did it for me. I am not even sure why but I literally sobbed my way through it, and for a good 5 minutes after. It wasn't even only tears of sadness, but also tears of joy, understanding, and appreciation. (I know, I know. I am a very emotional reader OK! Colleen Hoover will just do that to you.)

I am honestly just speechless with the fact that this is her first novel and not only is it this good, but it is supposed to get even better as I read her newer novels. I honestly don't know if my heart will be able to handle it all.

My Rating:

If you have Colleen Hoover recommendations please tell me them all! I tried so hard not to include spoilers in this review, but let me know if I should make an audio book talk post just discussing this book because I really could go on all day about it.

Also, please let me know if you have read Point of Retreat and if you think I should read it because I honestly feel satisfied with the ending as it is. As much as I want to linger in the Slammed world with these great characters, I am nervous to dive deeper into later on in the main characters' lives.

Never Never by Brianna Shrum ~ Impeccable Reviews

Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling
Format: eARC (from Netgalley)
Page Count: 356

James Hook is a child who only wants to grow up. When he meets Peter Pan, a boy who loves to pretend and is intent on never becoming a man, James decides he could try being a child - at least briefly. James joins Peter Pan on a holiday to Neverland, a place of adventure created by children's dreams, but Neverland is not for the faint of heart. Soon James finds himself longing for home, determined that he is destined to be a man. But Peter refuses to take him back, leaving James trapped in a world just beyond the one he loves. A world where children are to never grow up. But grow up he does. And thus begins the epic adventure of a Lost Boy and a Pirate. This story isn't about Peter Pan; it's about the boy whose life he stole. It's about a man in a world that hates men. It's about the feared Captain James Hook and his passionate quest to kill the Pan, an impossible feat in a magical land where everyone loves Peter Pan. Except one.

When I tell you I almost did not read this book...I was about to stop, but then there was this voice in my head saying "No. You need to continue," so I did. Thank God I did because this book was excellent! I had some real doubts about it, especially since the first part of the book is a little slow, but the story eventually picked up speed and turned into something magical.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson ~ Impeccable Reviews

Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Fantasy
Format: Hardcover (from Library)
Page Count: 266

The graphic novel debut from rising star Noelle Stevenson, based on her beloved and critically acclaimed web comic, which Slate awarded its Cartoonist Studio Prize, calling it "a deadpan epic."

Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

 Now this is the graphic novel I have been waiting for! If you have read any of my previous graphic novel reviews on this blog, you might know that I usually don't enjoy them as much as I would like or as much as a normal novel, and I have been on the hunt for a graphic novel that just surprises me. One that would fill up my fanatic fiction reader glass and Nimona was finally the one. It did not only fill my fanatic fiction reader glass to the brim, but that stuff overflowed onto the table! I honestly didn't know I could enjoy graphic novels like this, but Nimona has shown me I can and I will not be giving up on graphic novels anytime soon.

Smash & Grab by Amy Christine Parker Review and Giveaway ~ Blog Tour

Smash & Grab
by Amy Christine Parker
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: July 19th, 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

Synopsis:

Ocean’s Eleven meets the star-crossed lovers of West Side Story. Grab some popcorn and get ready for an adrenaline-filled heist!

LEXI is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or BASE jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.

CHRISTIAN is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom. In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. . . .

Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other.

Told in alternating points of view, this caper is full of romance and fast-paced fun. Hand to fans of Perfect Chemistry, The Conspiracy of Us, and Heist Society.

If there is one thing I look for in a book, it is a good heist executed by intelligent teens. This book takes this up to a whole new level by including two groups of teenage con artists from completely different backgrounds who collide while they are in the middle of completing their most risky crimes yet. Plus, an unlikely star-crossed romance? Sign me up! If there is one thing I can say to describe Smash & Grab overall, it is that this book was a very entertaining, easy-going read that is perfect for anyone who likes YA books with a fun, unique plot.

The Killer in Me by Margot Harrison Review, Quotes & Giveaway ~ Blog Tour

The Killer in Me
by Margot Harrison
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: July 12th 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Contemporary, Fiction

Synopsis:

Hasn't he lived long enough? Why not? I could take him like a thief in the night.

This is how the Thief thinks. He serves death, the vacuum, the unknown. He’s always waiting. Always there.

Seventeen-year-old Nina Barrows knows all about the Thief. She’s intimately familiar with his hunting methods: how he stalks and kills at random, how he disposes of his victims’ bodies in an abandoned mine in the deepest, most desolate part of a desert.

Now, for the first time, Nina has the chance to do something about the serial killer that no one else knows exists. With the help of her former best friend, Warren, she tracks the Thief two thousand miles, to his home turf—the deserts of New Mexico.

But the man she meets there seems nothing like the brutal sociopath with whom she’s had a disturbing connection her whole life. To anyone else, Dylan Shadwell is exactly what he appears to be: a young veteran committed to his girlfriend and her young daughter. As Nina spends more time with him, she begins to doubt the truth she once held as certain: Dylan Shadwell is the Thief. She even starts to wonder . . . what if there is no Thief?

I seriously almost did not finish this book, but not because I disliked it or thought it was bad. On the contrary, it was performing its purpose better than I expected, and I was unsure if I could handle more. Me being me, I continued because I was hooked and dying to know more This book was scary, mysterious, and thrilling all at the same time. I honestly did not expect it to put me on a psychological roller coaster, but I was strapped in and I stayed put for the entirety of this book. 

White Sand by Brandon Sanderson ~ Impeccable Reviews

Series: White Sand #1
Publication Date: July 5, 2015
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Format: eARC (from Netgalley)
Page Count: 160

A brand new saga of magic and adventure by #1 New York Times best-selling author Brandon Sanderson. On the planet of Taldain, the legendary Sand Masters harness arcane powers to manipulate sand in spectacular ways. But when they are slaughtered in a sinister conspiracy, the weakest of their number, Kenton, believes himself to be the only survivor. With enemies closing in on all sides, Kenton forges an unlikely partnership with Khriss -- a mysterious Darksider who hides secrets of her own. White Sand brings to life a crucial, unpublished part of Brandon Sanderson's sprawling Cosmere universe. The story has been adapted by Rik Hoskin (Mercy Thompson), with art by Julius Gopez and colors by Ross Campbell. Employing powerful imagery and Sanderson's celebrated approach to magical systems, White Sand is a spectacular new saga for lovers of fantasy and adventure.

 I was super excited to see this Graphic Novel on Netgalley after reading Brandon Sanderson's book, The Rithmatist, a while back and it being one of my new favorite fantasy novels. This world of different groups or people with powerful magic systems drew me into reading the book, but I have to say that unfortunately, White Sand didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Young Widows Club by Alexandra Coutts ~ Impeccable Reviews

Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Format: eARC (from Netgalley)
Page Count: 304

Seventeen-year-old Tamsen Baird didn’t set out to become a teenage widow. All she did was fall in love and get married. But when her nineteen-year-old husband, Noah, dies suddenly in the middle of the night, her whole life changes. Now Tam is forced to return to the existence she thought she’d left behind—beginning with moving back home and finishing high school. But in order to overcome her loss and find her way forward, she’ll need to reinvent herself and reach out to others in ways she never imagined. She’ll need to open herself up to living—and even loving—again.

I think the synopsis of this book can possibly mislead a person into thinking it is some type of mystery, but it's definitely not, nor does it need to be. The focus of the book is not on how or when Tamsen's (the main character) husband dies, but how it affects her life and how she chooses to move forward from it. I have to say I enjoyed the direction the book took and it felt like a thoughtful contemporary.

All The Words Are Yours: Haiku on Love by Tyler Knott Gregson ~ Impeccable Review

Publication Date: October 20, 2015
Publisher: Perigee (Penguin Random House)
Genre: Poetry
Format: Hardcover (from Publisher)
Page Count: 144

Every day for the past six years, Tyler Knott Gregson has written a simple haiku about love, and posted it online. These heartfelt poems have attracted a large and loyal following around the world. This highly anticipated follow-up to Chasers of the Light, presents Tyler’s favorites, some previously unpublished, accompanied by his signature photographs, which capture the rich texture of daily life.

This vibrant collection reveals the intimate reflections of one of poetry's most popular new voices -- honest, vulnerable, generous, and truly present in the gift that is each moment.

This book is absolutely beautiful. There is really very little I can say other than you need to go pick it up and try it for yourself. I knew this was a haiku about love when I initially began reading it, and I had already been wanting to read the book Chaser of the Light by the same author because I had heard nothing but wonderful things about it.

Why You MUST Read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

As a person who lives their life as a normal citizen and participant of the world (rather than spending their life under a rock), you've most likely heard of the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. You've probably also heard that it is a highly acclaimed African classic, and maybe that was enough for you to dump it in the list of notable books you should read sometime soon that's piling up in your head. Let's refresh our memories.

The book looks something like this:

Series: The African Trilogy #1

Publication Date: September 1, 1994

Genre: African Classic

Page Count: 209

THINGS FALL APART tells two overlapping, intertwining stories, both of which center around Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first of these stories traces Okonkwo's fall from grace with the tribal world in which he lives, and in its classical purity of line and economical beauty it provides us with a powerful fable about the immemorial conflict between the individual and society. 

The second story, which is as modern as the first is ancient, and which elevates the book to a tragic plane, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world through the arrival of aggressive, proselytizing European missionaries. These twin dramas are perfectly harmonized, and they are modulated by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul. THINGS FALL APART is the most illuminating and permanent monument we have to the modern African experience as seen from within.

Oh yeah right, that one!

Maus Volumes 1 & 2 by Art Spielgelman

Series: Maus #1
Publication Date: November 1, 1991
Publisher: Pantheon Books
Genre: Adult Graphic Novel, Biography
Format: Paperback (from local library)
Page Count: 159

A story of a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe and his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father's story and history itself.

Series: Maus #2

Publication Date: September 1, 1992

Publisher: Pantheon Books

Genre: Adult Graphic Novel, Biography

Format: Paperback (from local library)

Page Count: 136

Acclaimed as a quiet triumph and a brutally moving work of art, the first volume of Art Spieglman's Maus introduced readers to Vladek Spiegleman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and his son, a cartoonist trying to come to terms with his father, his father's terrifying story, and History itself. Its form, the cartoon (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice), succeeds perfectly in shocking us out of any lingering sense of familiararity with the events described, approaching, as it does, the unspeakable through the diminutive. This second volume, subtitled And Here My Troubles Began, moves us from the barracks of Auschwitz to the bungalows of the Catskills. Genuinely tragic and comic by turns, it attains a complexity of theme and a precision of thought new to comics and rare in any medium. Maus ties together two powerful stories: Vladek's harrowing tale of survival against all odds, delineating the paradox of daily life in the death camps, and the author's account of his tortured relationship with his aging father. At every level this is the ultimate survivor's tale - and that too of the children who somehow survive even the survivors.

The Maus Volumes are graphic novels written and drawn by Art Spielgelman to share his parents' holocaust survival story with the world. Now let me just start out by saying these have to be the best graphic novels I have read in my life so far. All I knew going into these novels was that they had to do with the Holocaust and the Jews were depicted as mice and the Nazis as cats. As soon as I heard this, it went straight to my priority to-read list.

I loved how Art Spielgelman chose to tell his parents' story. These graphic novels play out in that you start out by viewing Artie as he is talking to his father and asking him to narrate his holocaust stories, and as his father narrates, we then get to see everything that happened to him in his horrifying holocaust journey. I really enjoyed this because we got to see both the present situation in the lives of both Artie and his father as well as the past holocaust experiences from his father's POV.

The events Artie's parents had to endure during the Holocaust are sickening and absolutely horrible. Just knowing all of it is true is what makes it even more awful. Through out the novels we even get insight into Artie's struggles of growing up as a child of Holocaust survivors. I was surprised at first to see in between there were a few parts that made me laugh and served as a bit of comic relief after page after page of violence and grief, but it was greatly appreciated. I was not sure how I would enjoy different groups of people being represented as animals, but it all was executed beautifully. While the black and white artwork style might not seem stunning, it worked very well with the the story's plot and tone.

I think what I respected most about these graphic novels is how elaborate and brutally honest they were. By the end of the story, I felt as if I could really see all the main characters for who they really were. Yes these books are very depressing at times and I cried more than once, but the story was also funny and enlightening as well. I am usually not a fan of graphic novels or comics because I always feel a bit empty...as if it is missing some depth and detail to it, but I definitely did not feel this way about these two books.

Conclusion: I would definitely recommend the Maus graphic novels to everyone. I have to warn you that main story line is very sad and sickening, but the good thing is that these novels still have a hopeful aspect to them and are beautifully executed.

My Rating:

Recorder and Randsell by Meme Higashiya ~ Impeccable Reviews

Series: Recorder and Randsell Vol.1
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Takeshobo
Genre: Manga
Format: eARC (from Netgalley)
Page Count: 100+

Miyagawa Atsumi and her younger brother Atsushi are your typical siblings - she's a high school sophomore dealing with exams, he's a 5th grader who only wants to run off and play with his friends. School's hard enough as it is, but things are even tougher for these two: Atsumi is so tiny she's still mistaken for a little kid, while Atsushi is so tall people assume he's a full-grown man!

*Thank you Takeshobo for sending me a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Recorder and Randsell is a manga (Japaneses styled graphic novel) about a girl named Atsumi who is extremely short for a sophomore in high school and her brother Atsushi who is extremely tall for a kid in 5th grade. You can definitely tell this by the novel cover. For the sake of this review, to make the names less confusing, I will refer to the girl as Nee-chan (which is what her brother calls her) and I will refer to the brother as Atsushi. 

Atsushi is a very interesting character because he looks like a grown man but acts like a 5th grader or even younger. People treat him like an adult even though he is really a child. For him, doing normal childish things causes him to get weird stares in public and even get arrested. Nee-chan on the other hand, looks as if she could be in the 5th grade even though she is older. She acts like a responsible older sister but is often mistaken to be the younger child. Nee-chan and Atsushi run into a lot of struggles and funny situations because of their condition and I could not help laughing at many points throughout the manga. 

This manga reads like an anime. The way the events flowed made it feel like I was watching a show and each chapter was like a new episode. At first the book was a little hard for me to read because of the positioning of boxes on the page and what order they were supposed to be read in. I am used to the manga style of reading from right to left, but the way this one was ordered was a little different. But after I figured it out, I quickly got the hang of it. This manga is really meant to be a light and fun read. There is nothing very complex about it and I finished it in no time at all. The main joke about the height of Nee-chan and Atsushi was held throughout the manga and I thought it would start to get repetitive, but surprisingly it did not. It was all well formulated to where it was still funny by the end of the book. Well let me not forget to mention the art style. It was nice and just like any normal, classic manga style.

Conclusion: This manga was a great read that made me laugh quite a bit and put me in a good mood. It is simple, but effective and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to what's in store for Volume 2.

My Rating:

So tell me: Anyone have a younger sibling/friend whose taller than them? Is this idea bothersome?

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee ~ Impeccable Reviews

Series: To Kill A Mockingbird #2
Publication Date: July 14, 2015
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Adult, Literary Fiction
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 278

Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch--"Scout"--returns home from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in a painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past--a journey that can be guided only by one's conscience. 

My Review

I wouldn't really call Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee a sequel because it didn't feel like a continuation of To Kill A Mockingbird. You could easily read this book before the latter without feeling uninformed (even though I would strongly advise against doing so). This book felt like more of an add on or companion novel than anything else. After finishing the first book To Kill A Mockingbird, I quickly added it to my list of all time favorite books and I was SUPER excited for this book to come out. I had the book in my hands the day it came out and I am glad I found the time to read it.

This book follows the same character as To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout, but she is refered to as Jean Louise. In this review I am going to continue calling her Scout because I like that name for her better. She is 26 years old now and she has come back to Maycomb from college to visit. Atticus has grown old with health problems, Jem is dead, Aunt Alexandra is as annoying as ever, and Scout has a new suitor named Henry. Slowly she begins to see that Maycomb and the people in it are not the same as she had always imagined them to be. This book deals with a lot of racism and politics and it is very interesting to see how something written so long ago can have many parallels to our current society.

I did not know what to expect from this book going in, but at first it made me a little depressed. Well...more like very depressed. It felt as if all the characters I loved from the first book had disappeared or changed. Scout goes through this same revelation and it is as if I was going through it with her. HER BROTHER JEM IS DEAD FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! (Don't worry this is not a spoiler. You find this out within 30 pages or less of the book and it really has nothing to do with the plot) I seriously almost cried because I really liked Jem from the first book. Dill was not present because he was off living outside of Maycomb and Atticus was not his normal self for 99% of the book.

Atticus from To Kill A Mockingbird has to be one of my favorite characters in classic literature because he was a very wise, honest, respectable human being, and the world would be much better if we had more Atticuses (Lol whatever the plural of Atticus is) walking around. The problem in Go Set A Watchman was that Atticus has changed and he is no longer the perfect good Atticus from the first book. It's kind of sad to read about. For a while I tried to deny it, but it's quite obvious. Then to top it all off, Calpurnia who was Scout's old house maid and basically her mother figure acted so coldly towards Scout. So all I was left with was Aunt Alexandra who I already disliked from To Kill A Mockingbird and Henry who was a respectable character, but new to me. Oh and I guess there was also her Uncle, but he is downright crazy. To be totally honest, this book really tainted my perception of every character except for Scout.

The plot in this book is slower than most. Throughout the whole book I did not know where the plot was going. For a while, it felt as if it was going no where. Things kept on getting worse and worse and everybody seemed to be turning there backs on Scout, but all these events end up playing out this way for a reason which you will find by the end of the book. I really enjoy how Harper Lee incorporates her book titles into her novels and uses them as a type of symbolism. One thing I value a lot in books is when I am able to take away a message or some knowledge from them and there's definitely a message I learned from this book. I cannot say I enjoyed this book all the way through, but I was satisified by the end and how things resolved themselves. Go Set A Watchman does not compare to To Kill A Mockingbird in any way, shape or form, so I think it is unfair to judge one based on the other. Go Set A Watchman is a separate book in itself and has its own good qualities to it. I believe anyone who enjoyed the first book will benefit from at least giving this book a try.

My Rating:

3.5 out of 5 stars
It was really hard to try and figure out a rating for this book. I even debated not rating it at all, but I finally decided to give it a 3.5. Though I had some issues with the book, I still could really appreciate it.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab ~ Impeccable Reviews

Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Tor
Genre: Adult, Fantasy/Paranormal
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 368



Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

My Review

I don't think you guys understand. Words cannot explain fully my appreciation for this book. Seriously, Vicious is one of the best books in the adult genre that I have ever read! The book is centered around the concept of EO or Extra Ordinary. Basically, these are extra senses and/or powers that some people are able to acquire which make them more or less superhuman. Therefore, they are referred to as EOs. Victor and Eli, two good friends and pre-med students in university, one day decide to research deeper into the topic of EOs and even try to become some themselves. Now this book is not just a story about superhumans and an exploration of their powers (as awesome as that already is), it a story of revenge, action, suspense, and a friendship gone bad.

This is one of those books where the characters all have so many dimensions to them. None of them are simply black and white and I enjoyed how complex they all were. Even though Victor is the "hero" in this story, he is not your typical superhero. Victor is in no way perfect. He takes action for more selfish reasons than to help save other people. The thing is, it doesn't matter that Victor is not the greatest human being ever because he has some redeeming qualities to him that I'm sure make many readers connect with him and like him. On the other hand, Eli might at first seem to have more charming qualities than Victor, but as the book progresses you really see his true colors that made me dislike him a lot. I would even go as far as describing him as evil.

When reading this book, my attention was held from beginning to end. I do not remember a single moment where I was actually bored. There is quite a bit of action and violence in the plot that kept me engaged the whole way through. I'd say the whole book overall has a very dark tone to it, so this would not be ideal for those looking for a light, happy read. I think my favorite part of the novel was the ending. There is a lot of build up throughout the book for the action that is to come at the end, and I was very curious and filled with anticipation to see how the story would play out. I was in no way disappointed. The book's conclusion was perfect.

Now this may sound weird, but I also enjoyed the lengths of the chapters in this book. They were short and I felt they went well with the story's flow, as well as made me feel accomplished while getting through them quickly. I definitely will have to read Victoria Schwab's other books if they are all as good as this one.

My Rating:

5 out of 5 stars

So if you could have any supernatural power, what would you choose?

Bright Lights, Dark Nights by Stephen Emond ~ Impeccable Reviews

Publication Date: August 11, 2015
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance
Format: eARC (Netgalley)
Page Count: 384



A story about first love, first fights, and finding yourself in a messed up world, from the acclaimed author of Happyface.

Walter Wilcox has never been in love. That is, until he meets Naomi, and sparks, and clever jokes, fly. But when his cop dad is caught in a racial profiling scandal, Walter and Naomi, who is African American, are called out at school, home, and online. Can their bond (and mutual love of the Foo Fighters) keep them together?

With black-and-white illustrations throughout and a heartfelt, humorous voice, Bright Lights, Dark Nights authentically captures just how tough first love can be...and why it's worth fighting for.

My Review

What I expected it to be: A cute contemporary novel with a biracial Romeo and Juliet story line

What it actually was: The story of Walter and Naomi's romance and the threatening reality of racism and controversial opinions that affect our society. 

Bright Lights, Dark Nights takes place in an urban city where Walter now lives with his father ever since his mom ran off to marry someone else. Walter is Caucasian and his father is a cop who's actions one day flare a lot of controversy and backlash across the news and internet. Naomi, who is the sister of Walter's friend Jason and the daughter of strict, protective parents, happens to be African American. When Walter and Naomi begin to fall for each other, they find that extreme public opinions can cause their love story to not play out as simply as they might have wished. 

Reading about this couple was very refreshing. It is rare to find young adult books with a diverse set of white and black character without it feeling like the author is being stereotypical. I really appreciate Stephen Emond for foregoing the racial stereotypes and creating genuine characters. Walter is a very passive, yet a kind and thoughtful character. It was easy for me to relate to him and he even reminded me of myself at times. On the other hand, Naomi is passionate, brave and free spirited, but put together the two have great chemistry. Many of Walter and Naomi's scenes together (especially their first romantic scenes) were very awkward, but the imperfections in their relationship really made their love story feel realistic and not overdone. 

Walter's character developed beautifully as he had to move on from past problems at home and even come to terms with his own naivety and opinions on the events taking place. The character development for Naomi was very good as well. Even all the supporting characters and Walter's friends were well thought out and unique. When Walter had his final resolution with his peers towards the end, it did feel like it played out a little "too well," but I do have to admit that I was very relieved when it ended positively. 

I really enjoyed how the author portrayed racism and controversy in its most modern sense. The inclusion of what people were saying on social media and how the whole conflict played out made the whole book very authentic and relevant. Police racism and their abuse of power is such a current and hot discussion in our society today. It was nice that this book dove right into it. Walter's dad is accused of racial discrimination and he is very much in denial of it. This along with Walter dating a girl who is black causes a lot of attention and even threats that begin to cause chaos in Walter and Naomi's life. Even though to the public the biracial couple seemed to be an issue, Emond does a great job of making the reader feel and believe that it is really no issue at all. They are just the same as any other young couple deeply in love. On top of all of this, the book has a lot of wonderful illustrations in it and Emond has a beautiful writing style that describes city life so well!

The Conclusion: I very much enjoyed this book and it does a great job of covering current topics. It is definitely one of those diverse books you will want to read and a very unique, refreshing addition to the young adult genre.

My Rating:

4 out of 5 stars

Cover Rating:

3 out of 3 stars

Eve: The Awakening by Jenna Moreci ~ Impeccable Reviews

Series: Eve #1
Publication Date: August 12, 2015
Publisher: Jenna Moreci
Genre: New Adult, Sci-Fi
Format: eARC (from author)
Page Count: 547



Eve is an outcast. A chimera.

After years of abuse and rejection, Evelyn Kingston is ready for a fresh start in a new city. The esteemed Billington University seems like the perfect place to reinvent herself—to live the life of an ordinary human.

But Billington is harboring a secret of it’s own. Interlopers have infiltrated the university, and their sinister plans are targeted at chimeras—like Eve.

Instantly, Eve’s new life takes a drastic turn. In a time filled with chaos, is the world focusing on the wrong enemy? And when the situation at Billington shifts from hostile to dangerous, will Eve remain in the shadows, or rise up and fight?

My Review

My expectations: A thrilling science fiction novel following a girl that wields a unique power and goes on a quest of some sort to save the universe all wrapped into an amazing plot. (Let's just say, I set the bar was high on this one)

Reality: A Sci-Fi novel that was engaging, action-packed, and emotional all at the same time with a great main character and great supporting characters all wrapped into one dynamic (*wink,wink* book reference) plot. So basically, that translates into AMAZINGNESS!

I had a lot of faith that Eve: The Awakening was going to be great, but HOLLY BALLS (*wink, wink*)! It was even better then I expected. Eve, the protagonist, is a chimera who has had a rough life due to her "special" condition and a cycle of tragic events she keeps finding herself in. She starts attending Billington college in hopes she can turn her life around for the better, but when her new safe haven becomes threatened by Interlopers (aka nasty, evil aliens), she is forced out of her comfort zone and her talent was put to the test. 

I knew I would like Eve from the very beginning because of all her sarcasm and spunk. She is a very admirable character in the way she still stays put together even after all the hardship she has been through and continues to go through. Her love interest was not a stalker, (Thank God!) but a genuine, likable, and not over-controlling character. These traits are actually hard to come by in books, especially if you read YA novels. Thank you Jenna for not making your characters bland. I liked the inclusion of Asians and people with different sexualities.

I found myself becoming so emotionally invested in many of the characters. Jenna created so many lovable and hateable (I don't even think that's a word) characters. Eve creates her own little interloper fighting crew in the novel and I adored them all! The relationships they had with each other and their teamwork against the interlopers was all just perfect. I also loved the concept of being a chimera and wielding the power to move objects with your mind (so basically telekinesis). It is so sad how chimera are treated like evil creatures in this futuristic society when really, chimeras hold this amazing power that can be so helpful. Low key, I kinda wish I was a chimera now, but....only for their talent.

The pacing was spot-on in this book! The action just kept on coming and I was NEVER bored of the plot. It had me hooked until the very end. It was hard to yank my eyes off the page because I was so eager to see what was coming next. On top of all this, I very much enjoyed the writing style in the book. It was descriptive enough for me a to paint a picture in my mind, but not overly descriptive and it gave the book a nice tone. Even though it was told in 3rd person, I was still able to feel connected to the main character's actions and feelings. The romance between the protagonist and the love interest actually felt real! It did not just come out of no where and it had a steady build up. I just wish the book had given a little bit more background information on how the chimera's and interlopers emerged and their origins, but hopefully we will get a little bit more information in the next books,

Conclusion: Eve: The Awakening was an amazing start to a Sci-Fi series I know will continue to be amazing. This book will definitely be added to my list of favorite books of the year and I am dying to get my hands on the sequel. I recommend this book to everyone!

My Rating:

5 out of 5 stars

The Beginning of Never by O.E. Boroni Review & Giveaway ~ Blog Tour

Publication Date: April 26, 2015
Publisher: Waves Corporation
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance
Format: eARC (from author)
Page Count: 326



Twilight meets Eleanor and Park in this contemporary romance story about a love that insists on forever.

When Lenora Baker and Nathan Roqué run into each other in their boarding school courtyard, they have no idea that they are about to begin a journey that will take them the rest of their lives to recover from. Both scarred from parents who were once in love but ended up destroying each other, they are sworn off the possibility that there can truly exist a love that will never end.

But when with each other they find a passion so strong that it heals as powerfully as it burns, a love that will run out is no longer an option for them. Together, they discover just how far they are willing to go to preserve what they know they will only find once in their lifetime.

This is the start of their journey, and here you will come to realize, that falling in love is only the first part of the story... 

My Review

The Beginning of Never was a wonderful and engaging story of young love and the drama that can come along with it. Lenora Baker attends a boarding school in the UK and has been bitter and depressed since her mother died. Her life soon crosses paths with Nathan Roque's and her life all of the sudden becomes more complicated than she ever expected.

This book had one of those addictive romantic plots where I was always eager to know what was going to happen next in Lenora and Nathan's relationship. I caught myself breaking into a few giggles here and there while reading the story and then at times becoming disheartened or worried for the characters when events shifted negatively. The book and how the plot flowed reminded me a lot of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins in many ways. That being said, the book did carry its own uniqueness about it and how the romance turned out.

Lenora was a very interesting female protagonist because of her slight temper problem. It would cause her in multiple occasions be thrown into uncontrollable rage and cause her to act without thinking. Nathan, on the other hand, was the school's popular and mysterious heart-throb who always held the appearance that he was calm, cool and collected. Soon the two meet and increasingly grow fond of each other, except they are hesitant due to fear from past family issues and experiences. It bothered me for quite some time that every female (except for Lenora) proved to be quite frustratingly annoying and/or unnecessarily cruel. I was very relieved when a sensible female character, Elisa, was introduced and grew to be a good friend to Lenora. Though the relationship between the protagonist and love interest caused a lot of petty high school drama, it was also very cute to watch play out.

I have to admit the ending of The Beginning of Never left me a bit shocked and empty. As soon as I finished the last page I was longing for the next book. I will definitely be very impatiently waiting for the sequel because I needed it like yesterday. Well done E.O. Boroni!

My Rating:

3.5 out of 5 stars

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About the Author

I currently live in England. My days are spent in the Project Management field while my nights are spent with books. I'm either reading them or writing the ones that I want to read. My favorite things and in this particular order are books, Korean dramas, ice cream, and people who smile through everything. I consistently tell people that these are the four things they need to be happy but do they believe me?
No! Well I believe me, and you should too. 

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